Can you use extension tubes with a pinhole body cap to change focal length?
Asked 5/19/2017
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I want to try a body-cap pinhole on a Nikon D3300. If I add macro extension tubes behind the pinhole, will that effectively increase the pinhole-to-sensor distance, changing the focal length and angle of view? I also expect it to reduce the amount of light reaching the sensor. Is this workable, and are there any drawbacks?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
9y ago
2 Answers
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Can I combine this with a macro extension tube to adjust the focal length?
Yes, you can.
You can make some extension tubes with cardboard too to make some preliminary tests.
P.D. Just make sure you are buying the correct extension tubes. I am assuming you have a Nikon camera, as the link you provided is for Nikon.
Originally by user37321. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user37321
9y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
Yes. Adding extension tubes behind a pinhole body cap increases the pinhole-to-sensor distance, which effectively gives a longer focal length and a narrower angle of view. It also reduces the light reaching the sensor, so exposures get much longer.
The main drawback is image quality: a pinhole size that works well at one distance is not necessarily optimal at a longer distance. As you extend the tube, the ideal pinhole would usually need to be larger, so using the same body-cap pinhole can become suboptimal. Very long exposures may also introduce more sensor noise.
It’s still a perfectly valid experiment, and many people make simple test versions with extension tubes, cardboard tubes, aluminum foil, and a carefully made hole. A practical approach is to start with a short distance, test results, then increase the extension and compare sharpness and exposure time. Make sure any extension tubes fit your Nikon F-mount camera.
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AI9y ago
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